The Harborfront
by harborfrontstaff
Summary: AU. Johnny and Dally are alive, the boys are in their twenties. The events of a summer in Long Island change everything. One thing is for sure, they weren't in Tulsa anymore. Outsiders/OCs.
1. The Harborfront Inn

On Long Island's North Fork, the small village of Greenport had become home to some of the biggest luxury vacation homes and resorts on the east coast. The diamond among the rubies and emeralds of North Fork was the Harborfront Inn, vacation resort and summer home to some of the wealthiest individuals in the state of New York. It was unlike anything any greaser from Oklahoma had ever laid their eyes upon. Towering white structures were topped with burnt red roofs that appeared orange in the summer sun. Every room had a balcony and every tower had a suite fit for a king. Even the employee cabins mimicked the grande resort with miniature towers and burnt red roofs, however there were not suites and certainly no kings amongst the young men and women who resided there, only waitresses and bus boys, porters and activity counsellors. They were hidden away in the miniature mimics of the larger resort, kept separated from those who fancied themselves as the lords and ladies of the age. In comparison to the guests, the staff were nothing more than lowly peasants. They were a long way from Tulsa, Oklahoma but nothing had really changed.

It had been Steve's uncle who had managed to get the lot of them a job up in Long Island; he send nine of them (the seven boys and two of the girls) up to the Harborfront to make some cash for the summer. It paid a lot better than that job at the gas station Soda was still working at and although Ponyboy had gotten into college he needed some summer cash to pay for next year's tuition. Even Darry had decided to join his brothers, knowing that jobs at resorts would be few and far between for them so this was probably his only chance to do anything other than construction for the rest of his life.

The first week at the Harborfront had been filled with hour upon hour of classes on etiquette and how to treat the guests. Evelyn Matthews, the middle child in Two-Bit's family usually spent these classes napping in the back corner, only to be hissed at by her younger sister Bonnie who was trying her best to learn the rules of the society she had never been apart of. For Bonnie, this trip was about saving enough money so that she could finally go to college. She was only twenty one and she was already sick of waiting tables back in Tulsa. If Ponyboy could change his story, so could she.

That first week flew by, filled with uniform fittings, etiquette classes and extensive job training that needed to be completed before the guests filed in. The manager expressed that it needed to look as if they practically lived and breathed the very essence of the resort. They were simply an extension of the accommodations provided for the valued guests of the Harborfront. They were taught how to act like ghosts, to be in a room without having a presence there. It was quite a miraculous feat to try and accomplish in seven days when you were dealing with a group of twenty somethings who had spent their whole lives making a racket.

Dally didn't like the idea behind this job, the thought of serving Socs for the summer was already grinding him and not a single Soc had shown up yet. His temper had become apparent to the managers throughout the classes which was why he ended up stuck in the back of the kitchen with the rest of the employees who couldn't be trusted to keep their cool around their upperclass patrons. Dally wasn't the only one.

Evelyn Matthews had always considered herself on the boys, a rough and tough greaser to the core. If at least one of her close friends had been staying in Tulsa she might have done so herself but when eve Johnny Cade signed up for this paid servantry, Evie had decided to be dragged along as well. It was after getting caught sleeping for a third time in etiquette class that the resort director decided that Evie would be best suited for a backstage job; which is how she ended up in the kitchen with Dally.

The rest of the group was split up, most of the boys being trusted to act as waiters or bellhops. Bonnie was picked out as a keen student and a quick learner so she managed to get a job working with the activities director. She was joined by Sodapop, who had managed to charm every manager and higher up that he had come into contact with by pretending like he was one of their kind. It was a little sickening to see Soda acting like a Soc but it got him the job he wanted, working in activities where he wouldn't have to wait tables or carry baggage.

Two-Bitt swore up and down that the resort must have some sort of weather machine that made it beautiful just in time for the guests' arrival. It had rained for three days straight while they had been training and yet somehow the clouds parted and the sun brought back the summer heat the moment the town cars and convertibles began to pull up into the resort's drive. Two heavy Cadillac convertibles were the first to pull into the drive, one red and one black, each of them carrying New York royalty. The crowned prince and princess came in the form of twins: Vivian and Victor Buchanan. Mr. Buchanan owned a stock company and Time magazine had named him the third wealthiest man in the world last year, making the twins practically capitalist royalty. The black Cadillac wasn't lacking wealth or fame either; Edward and Daphne Harding were the children of a ex-Hollywood Starlet and her theme park tycoon husband. More importantly, Edward Harding was Vivian's longterm beau from the city and the two of them were set on being the next King and Queen of the Hampton's.

"You're up kid." Darry said, giving Steve a push to go and help with the bags. Other porters and bellboys immediately rushed towards the cars, grabbing the doors and offering hands to the guests inside. Vivian waited in the backseat, letting her boyfriend be the one to escort her out of the car so that she could waltz into the Harbourfront with him on her arm. Some might have looked at it the other way around, that Vivian was the prize to be shown off by the young Mr. Harding but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

"Be careful with those." Vivian said to Steve, shocking him a little bit by actually looking at him when she spoke. Her eyes were brown but in the sun they glimmered like gold, mirroring the bangles and hoops that she had decked herself with. "They're very important to me."

"Yes Miss."

"Vivian."

"Of course Miss." Steve didn't miss a beat, having had the Harborfront rules drilled into him for the past week. Dally would have just called her Viv, but that was exactly why Dally was stuck in the kitchen.

The cars continued to pile in and the lads were sent rushing around, wheeling carts of bags across the expansive resort and ensuring that not a single bag, purse, or item went missing on their travels. It was almost dinner time when the last car pulled up in the drive. Everyone was supposed to have come well before dinner for socializing and time to get fixed up before the meal but as Darrel Curtis would soon find out, Lucy Eldridge only worked on her own schedule.

Darry had been the only porter left outside, informed that there was still one guest that had not checked in yet. The resort manager was not about to let any of these Socs carry their own bags so someone got the short end of the stick and had to wait outside. As the oldest Darry had been a standout for who could be mature enough to wait out on the front porch alone. When the car did arrive there were five minutes until dinner and a solo blonde was hidden underneath the white hard top on a robin egg blue T-Bird. The car gave the smallest roar as she brought it into the drive, Darry quickly descending from the steps to get the door for her. She was quicker. Slim legs emerged from the open door before Darry could even get to the handle. They'd never let her into the dining hall in the pair of high waisted shorts she was sporting, though Darry wondered if the manager would have even let her through the front door.

"I'm not late am I?" the blonde chirped.

"Right on time." Darrel charmed, deciding it was better to lie in this situation than to tell a guest that they were unpunctual. If any of the boys from home had been late they would have been sent home but at the Harborfront it was all about the guests which meant arrival time for this young woman was exactly when she wanted to get here.

"Would you mind doing me a favor? Just watch to make sure no one is looking, I'm going to change real quick." without a single word from the greaser, the blonde hopped into the backseat of her car, immediately pulling a dress over her clothes and shedding the shorts and top she wore from underneath. Darry turned his back to the car, blocking the back passenger window with his figure, not daring to even try to look at the young woman he was covering for.

Things were in the clear until Bonnie walked up. Soda and Bonnie had set up everything for the welcoming bonfire that would take place a few hours after dinner when the guests had switched out of their evening dresses and into flowing skirts and short sleeved button ups. Soda couldn't get over how many outfits these people had, how they had to change for every meal and how their lounge clothes looked fancier than his Sunday best. Once finished with the bonfire preparation Soda had taken off to the mess hall to have dinner with the boys who weren't stuck waiting on the Socs. Bonnie on the other hand had decided to get a better look at the resort before it became swarmed with guests.

"Darry what are you still doing out here?" Bonnie asked as she stumbled upon the oldest Curtis brother in his precarious position.

"Working." Darry said quickly.

"Look's like you're standing around."

It was in that moment that Lucy Eldridge emerged from the car, her shorts discarded in the backseat and a sundress placed over her body. Back home, Bonnie was known for being the biggest gossip in the group. She tended to take the smallest of details and write entire novels with them in her head. Darry could tell that she was already scribing pages about this incident and he knew it likely was going to be a story he didn't want to hear.

"Thank you." Lucy sent over to Darry. "I'm Lucy by the way, I'm in suite eight. There's two bags in the trunk and the car can just go anywhere in the lot. If you're going to take it for a joy ride just make sure the tank isn't on empty." she said as she tossed Darry the keys and quickly began to ascend up the front steps of the resort.

"And here I thought you were the sensible one." Bonnie smirked at Darry as they both watched Lucy walk away. The girl disappeared into the resort, still late for dinner arrivals despite having changed in the car. They'd likely hear all about it from the resort gossips later and Bonnie would be sure to join them. It was going to be a whole new adventure for Bonnie and the rest of the greasers.

One thing was for sure, they weren't in Tulsa anymore.


	2. Champagne Flutes & Cigars

Hidden away in the kitchen, Evelyn wished that she hadn't been such a slacker in those etiquette classes. Although she had no interest in playing a part and acting like a 'proper' citizen for the Socs, the idea of actually being out in the opening did seem more appealing after spending almost an hour peeling potatoes. She was tucked away in the back with a bunch of kitchen staffers that she didn't know. Thankfully she had Dally.

"Johnny says they all pulled up in Cadillacs and Corvettes." Dally said, hauling in a box of cucumbers from the fridge so that they could work on the finger sandwiches that would be making rounds around the resort after dinner but before the bonfire. How many meals did these people actually need to eat? "They'll have their noses turned up at us all summer." Dally grumbled. He had come to work in New York before and he had made it for quite some time, bragging about it every week back home in Tulsa but Long Island was another beast. This was the vacation spot of New York's upper crust and they felt more entitled here than they did in Manhattan.

"No different than any other season." Evie shrugged. She was doing her best to not be bothered by all this. The first week hadn't been so bad but she had a feeling that now that the Socs were arriving things were going to get rough. Evie was used to sitting on the sidelines of a rumble, cheering on her brother and the other boys as they threw fists at these suit jacket wearing morons. Now she had no battle to cheer down because they had been forced to lay down their arms, all for a decent pay.

"These ones think we're their slaves."

"We're not slaves, we're being paid."

"Slaves, servants, same thing ain't it?"

Dally was riled up already, having only heard about the guests arriving at the resort. Evie could only imagine what things were gonna be like when he actually had to interact with any of the rich kids. This was why they had thrown him back here in the kitchen. However, the kitchen was the last stop before they sent them home and Evelyn wasn't interested in spending the summer in Tulsa by herself or with just Dally for that matter. She wanted to be where her friends were; where her family was.

"I say we show them who they're dealin' with. We're no thugs from Brooklyn." Dally said, his hands making the chef's knife in his hand dance down the cucumber, creating thick slices that Evie was going to have to fix.

"You're gonna get me in more trouble than we already are." the girl shook her head.

"I thought you lived for that kinda thing."

Evelyn was known for being rowdy, especially for a chick but that didn't mean she couldn't behave at times. She was the middle child of the family and the middle ground between Two-Bit's wisecracks and Bonnie's elegance. She could start a fight with almost anyone but she could also end one. Luckily, Evie was saved by her big brother waltzing in with a tray of emptied champagne glasses.

"It's crazy out there." It was only day one and Two-Bit was sure that he had never worked so hard in his life. He had to dance around tables and wandering guests to bring them their pre-dinner champagne.

"Hey Evie, look a penguin." Dally cracked a smile, commenting on Two-Bit's suit.

"Do you waddle when you walk?"

"Very funny guys." Two-Bit shook his head, picking up a cucumber slice to toss at Evelyn. "It's too bad you're both so goofy looking or they might have let you play dress up." he said, reaching up to straighten his bow tie.

"We're just the more skilled workers." Evelyn said, snatching the knife from Dally so she could fix the mess he made of the cucumbers. They needed to be thin for the finger sandwiches for tomorrow.

"Skilled? When did you two become skilled?"

"Hey kid, orders are up, lets go." one of the chefs called from their left.

"Get going, kid." Evelyn teased her older brother, throwing a useless cucumber slice at him.

"I'll get you two later."

As Two-Bit left the kitchen, he returned to a world of suited waiters and finely dressed folks. Forced laughter floated on stale air, and fake smiles cracked from behind perfectly lined lips. It was a play and all the actors were ready for their debut. Unfortunately the staff would be made to play their part in this grand charade.

"Good evening, I'm Two-Bit Matthews, you can call me Two-Bit or Matthews or pretty much whatever you'd like as long as it doesn't insult my good looks. I'll be your waiter this summer. Can I start you off with something to drink?" Two-Bit purred, looking over his new table. He had scored one of the best gigs in the house, and the young Tulsa waiter had no idea that he was serving the closest thing that New York had to royalty.

The Buchanans came from a long dynasty of Oil barons, starting with Bartholomew Fitzgerald Buchanan who had found the oil on his farm in the South. After their riches started flowing, Bartholomew moved the family to the Upper East Side of New York, where they now reigned supreme over the other affluent families there. If you aligned yourself with the Buchanan's you could have pretty much anything you wanted.

The Hardings were one of these families who paid their dues to the current Buchanan king, Vincent. George Harding had just inherited his father's wealth which came from amusement parks. His grandfather had been an engineer who had suddenly turned to creating steel roller coasters. After contracts with Disneyland and other well known parks, the Harding had solidified their wealth and position in New York. This position would be cemented by the projected marriage of Vivian Buchanan and Edward Harding.

Edward was already enjoying his newly minted position as prince, and celebrating by drinking. "I'll take a whiskey," He said, his voice like silk over sandpaper. There was something charming and disarming about his tone, yet Edward's eyes made Two-Bit regard him with caution.

"You've had two already," Vivian whispered, a gentle hand pressing into her boyfriend's forearm. Her pleas were in vain, and Vivian knew it, yet she couldn't help but dream that one day Edward would listen. If Vivian were to give up this naive hope, her view of a bright and happy future would dim to the inevitable reality she faced.

"Best make it a double," Edward countered firmly, brushing Vivian's hand off his arm and confirming his defiance.

Two-Bit felt an unnecessary pang of sympathy for the beautiful girl seated in front of him. Her big brown eyes held his for a moment, before falling to her offending hand. Wishing it were no longer attached, Vivian hid it under the table, and looked up once more with her eternal smile plastered on her porcelain face. "And for you miss?" Two-Bit asked, trying to disguise the blush he felt growing across his chest as he looked at her.

"Just a water please." Vivian replied, softly. A queer expression barely eclipsing her features before disappearing behind her china doll mask. She had caught the equally strange look on the servers face, and it caused her to regard him more seriously for a moment, studying his charming and animated features.

Though Two-Bit and Vivian were lost in each other for the moment, it was broken by the abrupt entrance of Vivian's best friend, Lucy Eldridge. "You didn't forget to save me a seat did you?" The pleasing blonde said, sitting with much less grace than her posed companions. It was as if the air returned to the room with her presence.

"Lucy! I was wondering where you were!" Vivian exclaimed, new life flooding her face. She tore her eyes from the handsome waiter and allowed her being to be enveloped in the excitement of Vivian's presence. That was one of the most endearing features of Vivian's personality; her ability to make whomever she spoke to feel as if they were the only being in the world. It was what drew people to the handsome, wealthy young woman.

"What kept you Miss Eldridge?" George Harding, Edward's airless new-money father asked, regarding her with all the judgement he reserved for those his station allowed him to gauge.

"Well, it was the darndest thing Mr. Harding, there was a rally at the school protesting the war and I somehow got swept up in it." The cadence of her voice was a stark contrast to George's. Lucy was a bell, ringing high and clear, and bringing intrigue with each improper syllable. Even Two-Bit couldn't help but feel at ease with this woman in the room. She was a much needed zephyr in this crowded room of starch.

"Don't tell me you're a part of that nonsense Lucy," Amelia Buchanan, Vivian's mother, drawled. Her good Southern breeding had never left her. Amelia came from old money, even before she married Vincent, and she had very staunch values and ideas. These new age rebellions against the war and such were just a waste of time in her eyes. All things being considered, it was not a surprise that Mrs. Buchanan was a registered Republican.

"It's hardly nonsense Mrs. Buchanan, but that's not good dinner conversation is it Viv?" Lucy said, her tongue clicking against her cheek as she turned to the young Miss Buchanan. "I've missed you." Lucy was too used to the overbearing mother that had given her her best friend. It had taken the measure of their friendship before Lucy had learned to tune out the annoying sound of that Southern accent.

"I've missed you too," Vivian imparted, as if the two girls shared a great secret. She leaned closer to her ally, grateful for a soldier in her corner in this den of vipers. "You need to tell me all about NYU, we'll have to catch up after dinner." Vivian exhaled gratefully, letting her tense shoulders relax in the presence of Lucy. The unflappable Lucy Eldridge, as Vivian liked to call her.

"Of course." Lucy smiled, taking a sip from her water goblet and throwing the still awaiting Two-Bit an amused wink.

Two-Bit's first night of service passed without much excitement. Later, when he told the story of that night, Two-Bit would regard the stolen glances between himself and Vivian as the highlight of his evening. In those later years, when Two-Bit would tell of her heart-stopping smile, Vivian would give him that same smile and swat him lightly, while the same blush came across his chest that it had all those years ago.

While Two-Bit served and cleared the table, he couldn't help but hear snippets of their conversation in his passing. From what he managed to catch, Two-Bit had begun to draw conclusions about the type of people he had been tasked with serving.

Mrs. Buchanan was exactly what a Southern Belle should be. She was beautiful, whip smart, and everything she said had to be dissected to find its true meaning. Amelia was in control of her own life, her husband's life, and her children's lives. Everything they did had to be cleared through her.

Mrs. Harding desired nothing more than to be exactly like Amelia. She was aware of the precarious situation her family's new money put her in, and Marianne was desperate to secure her family's place in the dynasties of New York. Marianne had no personality of her own, but only mimicked what Mrs. Buchanan did in a less glamourous way.

The men were polar opposites. It was as if you had sat down the president and a hillbilly at the same table. Only, the hillbilly was the man from old money. Vincent Buchanan was remarkably laid back for one of the world's wealthiest men. He had an easy smile, that bounced between his eyes to his perfect lips with grace. Vincent was charming and charismatic and liked by everyone. He genuinely seemed to like everyone as well, and treated even Two-Bit with the respect deserved of a king. Vivian's ability to make anyone feel like they were the only in the room had come from her father.

Mr. Harding was stiff on the other hand. He was like a cardboard man, standing for everything and falling for anything. He took offense at the slightest comment and huffed with an upturned nose. He acted as if Two-Bit didn't exist and his food just magically appeared in front of him. Mr. Harding was even stingy with the tip.

As the night progressed, the conversation turned from the families of New York to the hopes from the summer. Eventually, Vincent turned to his daughter's friend with a warm smile that suggested years of acquaintance.

"Miss Eldridge will your parents be joining us?" Vincent asked, considering her over the rim of his Scotch glass.

Lucy smiled in response. She knew her parents and Vincent were good friends from all their years of friendship. "In a weeks time, father and mother are still in Paris last I've heard."

"So you came on your own?" "How did you get here?"Amelia was quick to jump in before Vincent could question further. Her tone suggested imperious judgement.

"Well I imagine she didn't walk." Vivian's tone was light, but restrained. Her mother was a critical woman, and while Vivian was sued to that criticism, she didn't approve it extending to her friends.

Vincent stepped in quickly, before his wife and child could have it out at the dinner table. "Are you still driving your father's T-Bird?"

"Yes I am," Lucy said with a confident nod.

"Well there you go Amelia, she drove."

After that, the conversation came to a swift close. George Harding stood, holding his tumbler in hand, and smirking. "Well Vincent, let's leave these women to their silly conversations," He drawled, but his smile was demanding. Vincent and George's sons rose as well, following their father's patterns. Vincent was slower to rise, but he did, nodding politely to the women and leaving Two-Bit a big tip.

While the men retired to smoke and talk about how great they had become, the women would go upstairs for the next stage of their great pageant; the bonfire. This event was limited to the younger members of high society who are still fighting to prove they are the mirrors of their parents.

No, it will not be the stars that will only glitter tonight. With the heat and the light of the fire to guide them, the bright lights of the big city would let loose for the first, and not the last, night of their summer.


	3. Don't Get Burned

There was something primal about fire on a beach. If you tuned far enough and looked out across the still glass of the lake, forgetting the white towers of progress, you could be anywhere. It felt as if the cradle of civilization had returned just for this one moment, where burning embers kissed the moon and took their place among the stars.

That was what if felt like on the beach that night.

As Bonnie looked across the remains of the Welcome Bonfire, she was reminded that the magic of their primitive evening only lasted so long as the music played. The four piece swing band were now packing up on their stand, and the fire had blazed itself down to soot and ash. Bonnie was now left with the remnants and was forced to remember her position.

Bonnie stooped to pick the packet of Graham Crackers from the little wooden table they stood on. Like all things these rich people had touched, the crackers were broken and forgotten, left for someone else to deal with. She sighed scornfully as she tucked them under her arm.

Looking up, Bonnie saw the ever smiling face of Sodapop coming towards her from across the beach. He carried the tiki torches, which had been doused under his arm, and three folding chairs in the other. Bonnie righted herself as he approached.

"Those chairs are the last things that need to go in the shed." She told him, feeling the length of the day in her bones. Bonnie's gaze was pulled from the primordial sea, back to the Harborfront Inn and the idea of a nice soft bed. "I'm going to take the leftover s'more kits to the kitchen."

Soda nodded, looking equally as desperate to sleep. "Should I wait for you?" He asked, a flash of concern darting across his eyes in the darkness. Even back in Tulsa they had always walked the girls home if Two-Bit wasn't with them. There was safety in numbers and although things were dangerous for everyone, they were especially dangerous for pretty young women like Bonnie.

Bonnie shook her head, smiling ruefully. "Nah, that's okay, I'm a big girl you know."

"I know." Soda replied, grinning as he convinced himself that nothing would happen in the perfection of the Harborfront. "See you in the morning."

Bonnie watched him for a moment as Soda carried the chairs back towards the shed. When he was swallowed by the sudden darkness, Bonnie gathered the last of the crackers and chocolate, heading for the gleaming white building.

The night staff were the only ones in the lobby at this hour. They waved feebly from their posts as Bonnie passed them. Her arms were too full to return the gesture, and in truth she felt too weary to do so. Silently, she slipped into the kitchen.

As the door swung open, it permitted Bonnie a vision of a scene she had not predicted. Three young well-dressed men, Socs, were bent over, looking though one of the massive metal fridges. They didn't look up or notice Bonnie until the door swung shut behind her.

Like three meerkats on the savannah, their heads popped up from behind the fridge door. Interest and malice mixed on their clean cut expressions.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The first asked. He was classically handsome, but looked too well kept for Bonnie's taste. The vicious look in his eyes set Bonnie on edge. He might have been a prince charming to some but Bonnie saw the villain behind the handsome exterior. It came out in the poison of his voice and the glint of light in his steely blue eyes.

"Hey pretty lady. The second Soc had wild reddish brown hair and a smug expression. He was broader set, with strong shoulders that mirrored the hard lines of his jaw. He advanced on Bonnie with a lustful gaze, exuding arrogance as he spoke again. "You got a name?"

"Pretty sure everyone does." Bonnie said, her eyes narrowing into an annoyed expression. She'd dealt with guys like this before; ones who had been given everything in the world and took whatever they wanted. Bonnie had no time for them, and usually shut them down with ease. This group were more persistent.

"No need to be cold. We're just trying to be nice." The redhead pouted, sauntering closer. His fingers came up to brush Bonnie's cheek, but she slapped them away before they could make contact.

The redhead's two companions turned away from their conversation and continued searching for the goods that they wanted. Bonnie glared at the redhead as she stepped past him and moved towards the fridge.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be down here." Bonnie said, in a tone that suggested she was very sure they weren't supposed to be here.

A hand snaked out and encircled her waist, pulling her into the redhead's embrace. His grip was rough and uncomfortable, showing the darkness that his pastel clothing hid in the day. "Babe we clearly haven't met. I'm Preston Narcott." He purred in her ear, his lips grazing her earlobe.

"Is that meant to mean something?" Bonnie pushed back against him, breaking out of his hold and backing up.

Preston laughed, watching her with hungry eyes."It means I go where I want to go, whenever I wanna go there."

"Found it."' The first boy said, holding up a case of beer.

"Those are for the BBQ on the weekend." Bonne retorted, starting towards him again. She was not about to lose her job for these three to get drunk.

"And we'll drink the rest of them then, right boys?" The handsome one said, looking down at Bonnie with a cruel smile. Bonnie figured this one, well all of them, had never been told no in their lives.

"Sounds about right." Preston nodded, grabbing Bonnie again and pulling her back in."Though I'm not sure I can wait until the weekend for everything."

"Don't touch me," Bonnie hissed, struggling to break free from his grip.

Preston's hands snaked across her back and around to Bonnie's front, sliding across her stomach, as he whispered in her ear. "Come on baby, don't you want to have some fun?"

"Don't call me baby," Bonnie growled, shoving hard. Preston stumbled back and Bonnie was able to put a few paces between them.

"Well you haven't told me your name, now have you sweetheart?" He sneered, licking his lips in a sickening way.

"I said get away from me!" Bonnie's heart felt as if it were going to beat right out of her chest. Her breath was coming faster now, and a nagging voice in the back of her head told her she was a fool for coming in here alone. The more dominant voice in her head told her to get out of there in anyway possible.

Suddenly, Bonnie saw her chance. A knife lay out on the countertop, unsheathed, careless. It's cold steel under her fingertips was like a prayer, her saving grace. Bonnie wrapped her fingers around the handle and swung it in front of her, putting the tip between her and Preston.

Preston's eyes went wide with shock, and his friends fell silent in their search. All three had stopped to watch the scared looking girl and her very big knife standing in front of them. Finally, Preston demanded, "And what are you gonna do with that honey?"

"One more step and you won't have to ask that question," Bonnie hissed.

No one moved, but Bonnie could see the calculation on their fine boned features. The boys were trying to figure out how best to get the knife from her, and then how to take what they wanted. Bonnie's palm had begun to sweat, her arm to shake, and she wondered how long she would be able to hold on before fear overtook her.

The tension was ready to cut when the door swung open behind Bonnie. She didn't dare turn to look as Lucy entered. If she took her eyes off the three boys for even a second, they might pounce.

"Everything alright in here?" Lucy called, drawing the attention of the three boys. Bonnie watched as their expressions turned from rancor to annoyance.

"Lucy," The handsome one drawled.

"Marsden." Lucy replied evenly, putting a name to the face. "What's going on down here?" Her tone was measured but suggested she would take no answer but the truth.

Preston cracked an easy smile and leaned against the counter, looking entirely relaxed. "Just trying to find something to wind down with," he claimed.

"Boys, they keep the good liquor locked up and only the senior staff carries keys." Lucy chided, but her admonishment was not comical. "You've got three months to drink, how about you leave this poor girl alone?"

"She's right lets get out of here." Marsden snapped, miffed that Lucy had come to ruin his fun. "Preston, lets go."

"Fine," Preston barked, his easy demeanor melting into his temper.

The three boys sauntered out of the room, giving both Lucy and Bonnie looks of hate in equal measure. Only when the door had shut behind them and their voices died away, did the girls dare to move. The knife slid out of Bonnie's hand and back onto the counter, where she stared at it in disbelief.

"You alright?" Lucy inquired, passing the distance between them and leaning on the counter.

Bonnie took a step back. Yes, this girl had come to her rescue, but she was still one of them. Though Bonnie had never cared as much about the dividing lines between Greaser and Soc, it was suddenly easier to understand Dally's opinion that all Soc were scum. "Yeah, I'm fine," Bonnie assured, taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about them. They're not exactly examples of high society gentlemen. Prescott's a right ass." Lucy's explanation fell on deaf ears. Bonnie heard her words, but could only hold herself together long enough to bite back the bitter accusations that bubbled in her throat.

Finally, with her emotions once again under control, Bonnie gave a stiff nod. "I could tell," she scoffed.

Lucy offered her a gentle smile, clearly trying to make up for the mistakes of her companions. Her pale hand raised above the table and stretched out for Bonnie to shake. "We didn't really get introduced earlier. I'm L-"

Bonnie took Lucy's soft hand in her callused one, "Lucy Eldridge. I heard." She said firmly, shaking her new ally's hand. "I'm Bonnie."

"It's nice to meet you." Lucy smiled, turning towards the freezer. She opened the double doors and looked in with a delighted expression. "Do you like icecream?"

"We're not supposed to…" Bonnie started, before Lucy interrupted.

"Who's going to tell?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

In spite of herself, Bonnie smiled and joined Lucy at the freezer. With the tension gone from the room, her natural disposition returned, and Bonnie found her new friend to be likable. They passed the night with spoons in their hands and samples of all the Harborfront's ice cream. With the quiet of the night enveloping them in safety, and their jovial conversation, Bonnie let herself become unguarded and relaxed. She had never seen Soc's the same way her friends did. Sure, they had been in some nasty scrapes with some of the Tulsa Socs, but Bonnie knew that when they all went home, they were just people. Here, in the kitchen, she found that opinion resurfacing, and her belief in the goodness of humanity restored.


	4. Somewhere

Without an election or ever being asked, Darry had become the leader of the Greasers. He was the eldest of the Curtis brothers and the eldest of all his friends. His natural caring personality had made him the big brother too all the Greasers in his outfit. Darry's first and last concern was his family; even when that family extended beyond blood.

Darry had become worried when Soda had returned to his cabin without Bonnie. After hearing Soda's excuse, Darry had accepted it, but refused to sleep until he knew everyone was safe. The Greasers were no longer in Tulsa, and while they had been in Long Island for a few weeks now, they had been there without Socs. Nothing could make Darry trust any of these trust-fund babies who were so careless with the lives of others.

When the hours of one and two had passed and still no Bonnie, Darry had begun to grow concerned. Evelyn, who was sharing a cabin with Bonnie, and Two-Bit arrived at Darry's cabin just past two, concern written on their faces. Neither had heard or seen Bonnie since she had left with Soda for the Bonfire.

Finally, with Evie chomping at the bit, Darry decreed that they should go look for her, and make sure Bonnie hadn't found her way into any trouble with the Socs. In the pale light of the stars, they made their way across the lawns of the staff cabins towards the safety of the main complex.

The lawns were silent, the lamps revealing nothing more than the shadows of silent animals who escaped into the night. Where the silence comforted others, it worried Darry. With noise, he could find Bonnie, and return her safely to her family. The silence did not bode well for her situation.

Darry kept this fear to himself, but felt his muscles coil in preparation for a fight. If the Socs were bold enough to attack them on the first night, he was going to have to set them straight quickly. As much as they all needed this job, Darry needed his family to be safe more. If that meant cracking a few rich kid skulls, so be it.

Suddenly, the voices of the birds were drowned by human emissions and Darry's head snapped in that direction. He recognized Bonnie's voice, mixed with one he didn't know. Before Darry could say anything, Evie squealed and took off running across the lawn towards the voices. Fearing her own safety and Bonnie's, Darry and Two-Bit took off after her.

"There you are!" Evie exclaimed, her regard for the still of the night completely lost in the joy of finding her sister alive and well. Her joyful tone was mingled with the annoyance of having to search the grounds at two am.

"Here I am," Bonnie said with a half-grin. She was used to her sister's dramatics.

Two-Bit pushed Evie aside, now wanting to get his… well, his 'two-bits' in."We thought you were probably dead," He exclaimed, giving her a once over to make sure that Bonnie was indeed okay.

"Way to be overdramatic," Bonnie said with a roll of her eyes and a dismissive wave.

"What were you doing with a Soc…" Evie asked, looking at Lucy as if she were an alien. Tension filled the air again, as Lucy was now the out-numbered one. Bonnie knew her family were harmless, she just needed the other girl to know it too.

"This is Lucy," Bonnie said, firmly. She didn't want to give Evie the chance to start referring to Lucy as 'the Soc.' "Lucy this is my brother Two-Bit, my sister Evelyn, and of course you've already met Darry." Bonnie said with a conspiratorial wink. She had caught them as Darry protected Lucy from prying eyes while she got changed, and Bonnie wasn't about to let Darry or Lucy forget it.

Darry remembered the event, and the blond quite well. He shot Bonnie a look of annoyance that Darry reserved for members of the Matthews family. His annoyance was quickly overcome with his concern. Even though Lucy was beautiful, and Darry believed she might be different, she was still a Soc, and finding Bonnie with a Soc was troubling. "Is everything okay?" Darry asked.

"Bonnie and I were just chatting." Lucy nodded, confidently, studying Darry's face in the pale lamplight.

Evelyn was not so easily convinced, "Bonnie. She's a...a..._guest_." Though it was clear that guest was not the word that Evelyn was actually thinking of.

"We didn't know what happened to you." Two-Bit interjected, his emotions a mixture of relief and confusion. He was the medium between his Soc-tolerating sister, and his sister who hated them flat out.

"I can handle myself," Bonnie said, with a dismissive note. She might have been the youngest Matthews, but she was not the most naive.

"We're not back in Tulsa," Evie warned.

"No kidding," Bonnie snorted, looking across the lush green grass and rolling hills that cradled the resort. "You both need to take chill pills, for once Darry's the relaxed one." Bonnie pointed out, with a shake of her head.

It was only then that Darry remembered his position as the leader of the Socs."They thought something might have happened to you, kid," he explained.

"Well I'm fine," Bonnie huffed, already tired of this game. "Look, all here, all in one piece. I'm not a child."

"Come on, lets just get to bed. Work starts at stupid o'clock tomorrow." Two-Bit concieded his sister the victory. He was much too tired to fight anymore tonight.

"You're not gonna lay into her some more?" Evie exclaimed, shock overpowering her features.

"What goods it gonna do, she listens about as well as you do," Two-Bit replied, with a playful ruffle of Evie's hair

"Yeah, don't forget you're the problem child," Bonnie chided with a playful grin.

"Am not!" Evie retorted.

Lucy found herself out of place in this easy sibling companionship. She felt like she was watching what a family was supposed to look like without ever being invited into it. It felt as if she were intruding, and Lucy suddenly wished to distance herself from it."I'll catch ya later," Lucy caled to Bonnie, turning to head back to her room. "Night everyone."

"I'll walk you back," Darry said, seized by a fit of gallantry.

Lucy stopped, a telling smirk dancing on her lips. A sly smile took its place,"It's okay, I can manage on my own," She stated.

"You wouldn't let me walk alone, why should you?" Bonnie interjected pragmatically.

"I'm fine, really," Lucy protested.

"They're both stubborn as hell, best not to argue." Two-Bit offered with a grin, "Come on kidlets, bedtime."

Lucy was left standing in the dark with Darry as they watched the Matthews siblings disappear into the night. Two-Bit had swung his arms about the shoulders of his sisters expecting them to carry him. Even with their combined strength, Evie and Bonnie dropped Two-Bit on his ass, though Darry suspected it was on purpose.

Once Darry was sure the Matthews were off safely in the right direction, he turned back to Lucy, who was watching him. As soon as Darry caught her eye, Lucy blushed and looked down, collecting herself before she looked up at him once more.

"I'm really alright on my own," Lucy stated.

"You sound like Bonnie," Darry grinned, seeing almost instantly why these two had formed a bond.

"She's quite something isn't she?" Lucy asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Darry was quiet for a moment, trying to understand this Soc girl. She was nice, and not in that horrible way where 'nice' was the only word you could use to describe someone. Lucy seemed to genuinely care about Bonnie, and that put her in Darry's good books. He was only wary that this was some kind of sick Soc game.

Lucy seemed to sense his trepidation, "I mean that as a compliment," She said before quickly changing the topic, hopefully to something Darry was more comfortable with. The change was a miss. "What did Bonnie's sister mean when she called me a Soc?"

Darry shook his head, scowling,"She was just running her mouth, don't worry about it."

"I take it that it isn't an endearing nickname." Lucy was perceptive and unwilling to give up on this thread of conversation just yet.

"Soc is short for social, it's what we call the rich kids folk back in Tulsa," Darry explained with a sigh.

"Because all rich folk ever do is socialize," Lucy surmised.

"It's just how we see it," Darry said with a shrug. "They call us greasers."

"Because you slick your hair back," Lucy guessed, looking up at Darry's longer hair. She'd never met men who wore their hair like Darry and his friends did.

"Yeah."

"You know there is more to people than what they do or what they put in their hair," Lucy stated, looking at him hard. Darry couldn't keep her gaze and turned away.

"I know," He mumbled.

"Soc and greasers. I don't know, I still prefer the Sharks and the Jets," Lucy jested.

"Huh?" Darry had never heard of the Sharks and the Jets, except for the aquatic animal. Even though West Side Story was an Oscar winning movie, Darry never had time to go to the movies. He was always working. He left that sort of thing to Pony and Johnny.

"West Side Story? No?" Lucy asked, incredulous that he had never heard of it. "You should try to check it out sometime. Great movie, I mean, if you're into that kind of thing."

They fell into a silence as they drew closer and closer to the hotel. Darry had a feeling that this walk wasn't just a walk, but he didn't know how else to label it. Darry found himself looking down at Lucy every few steps. She walked with a content smile on her face, and the easy grace of a debutant. Darry had never seen a girl that looked like Lucy in his entire life. He was used to the easy girls back home who either wore too much makeup or didn't care what they looked like. Lucy was different. She wore her confidence like other girls wear their clothes. She seemed at ease in any situation, even this one. Darry envied her relaxed nature.

Finally, Lucy broke their silence,"So how was the joy ride?"

"The what?" Darry, who had been lost in his thoughts, only now came around.

"In my T-Bird," Lucy said with a grin.

"Oh, I just took it out back," Darry replied, ever the perfect employee.

"I wouldn't have minded you know." Lucy returned with a shrug. He could tell that she meant it, even if that made absolutely no sense to him. What kind of girl just trusted a perfect stranger with their expensive car? "I mean, as long as you didn't crash it."

"Best not to risk it then," Darry replied with a wry smile.

"You said you were from Tulsa?"Lucy changed the topic again, keeping Darry on his toes just when he had settled into the last one. "What's it like in Oklahoma?"

"You've never been?" Darry asked, as if it was impossible to believe that this girl hadn't been to every point on the globe, nevermind every state in the country. "It's nothing special, nothing like this place that's for sure."

"Nowhere is." Lucy said with a fond smile. "I've always said the Harborfront is a fantasyland where folks try to forget the real world exists."

"Kinda hard to do when you're still living in it," Darry doubted.

"I couldn't agree more," Lucy smiled. It wasn't the response Darry had expected, mainly because in his mind Lucy had the privilege of living the fairytale. Work kept him grounded in the real world, he wondered what kind of troubles could have possibly kept her there as well.

Their walk came to a brisk end, as Darry found himself in front of Lucy's door. Somewhere in her changing topics and easy confidence, he'd lost himself in their walk. Now he was regretting not paying attention to the girl in front of him. He had been so lost in his thoughts, so desperate to unravel the mystery of Lucy, that Darry had forgotten to enjoy his time with her.

"This is me," Lucy announced, with a melancholy note.

"Yes it is," Darry affirmed, equally regretfull.

"Thanks for walking me back," Lucy offered with a smile.

"Of course," Darry nodded, assuming his position as Darry the porter again. "Have a good night Miss Eldridge."

"Lucy," She chided, "Just call me Lucy."

Darry smiled in spite of himself, "Goodnight Lucy."

"Goodnight Darry."


End file.
